Do you think your current HDTV is good enough? Then you haven’t experienced the magic that is 4K Ultra HD. 4K is a big buzzword in 2013 and the hot topic at IFA, but it basically means “HDTV, on steroids.”
A 4K Ultra HD display (like a television set) has twice the vertical and horizontal resolution of a typical 1080p HDTV. That means it has four times as many pixels and has a resolution of 3840 pixels x 2160 lines. This means that you can get the clarity you get on your smartphone or tablet — but on the big screen.
A 4K TV fits four times as many pixels onto the screen, so you can see more stars in the night sky, individual leaves on trees, lines on faces, weaves in clothes than your eyes can perceive in real life. Your eyes no longer see mere rows of pixels but instead feel as if the world in the TV is as convincing as the one outside your living room, making it much easier to become truly immersed in what you're watching.
You can sit closer to the big screen and enjoy more of the detail without the image looking pixelated. With a regular HDTV, if you sit too close to the TV screen (especially if you’re in a smaller room or apartment), you can see every pixelated line on the set. With 4K, you can be just six feet away from the screen and still see every detail like you're looking through a crystal clear window.
Most modern movie theaters use digital projectors that output content in 4K resolution. That means that with a 4K Ultra HD TV at home, you could theoretically get the same quality playback experience as you get at the movie theater.
Now, to power all of those millions of pixels, TV makers, including Panasonic, have to design the 4K Ultra HD TV less like a traditional HDTV and more like a computer.
The sets also have to be able to support high-frame rates, which is especially important for sports and action content. In a lot of ways, the inside of a 4K Ultra HD TV is a lot like the inside of a high-end computer. The difference is that 4K Ultra HD TVs still have to be quiet, thin and energy conscious.
At IFA 2013, Panasonic showed off a stunning 65-inch Smart VIERA TX-L65WT600, the world’s first Ultra HD TV with a 4K 50/60p input that has HDMI 2.0 and conforms with DisplayPort 1.2a specifications. The TV's specs future-proof the device and ensure it will work with future compatible 4K-players, set-top boxes and next-generation gaming consoles. The TV offers up to 60 frames per second of 4K playback, making the TV an excellent choice for consumers and professionals alike for whom picture quality is imperative. And the new THX4K certification is a seal of approval that a 4K TV can reproduce the colours, tones and resolution intended by Hollywood directors.
So when can you start enjoying these types of TV sets? Well, the good news is that 4K Ultra HD TV sets are starting to hit the market, and Panasonic has committed to going all in on 4K across its TV and professional display lineup by 2014. Moreover, 4K cameras and editing systems — already the norm in the broadcast world — are getting less expensive and more accessible for filmmakers of all budgets.
Even your streaming will soon benefit from 4K technology, as services like Netflix are planning to enter the 4K streaming space. And because 4K TVs can upscale 2K content, you can still enjoy your existing TV and video content on a 4K TV. In fact, it will look even better.
Who's excited?
If you want to learn more about 4K and Panasonic: visit www.ifa.panasonic.eu.
Image: Getty/ David Becker